India has condemned two attacks on commercial vessels in which Indian seafarers were among those caught in the violence, one in the Black Sea and the other in the Strait of Hormuz. New Delhi warned that strikes on merchant shipping are undermining global trade.
In a statement issued in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it condemned the attack on the MV Royad Mammadov in the Black Sea, “in which two foreign seafarers were killed and some members of the crew, including Indian nationals, were injured.” The ministry said the three Indian nationals on board were safe and thanked Romanian authorities for rescuing the injured and providing medical care.
Black Sea: MV Royad Mammadov sinks
According to Indian and Romanian reports, the vessel is a Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged cargo ship owned by a Turkish company. It was carrying corn from the Ukrainian Danube port of Izmail toward Ravenna in Italy when it was struck, caught fire and sank about 30 nautical miles south of Sfântu Gheorghe, inside Romania’s exclusive economic zone.
India’s embassy in Bucharest later confirmed that all three Indians were safe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the ship was hit by two Russian drones in neutral waters. New Delhi has not attributed the strike.
Strait of Hormuz: MT On Peace hit
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a second statement on an attack on the Panama-flagged tanker MT On Peace, which was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman. Of the 19 crew members on board, 17 were Indians.
Twelve seafarers were injured, including 11 Indians. With Omani assistance, the injured were evacuated and are receiving treatment in Khasab. India thanked the Omani authorities for their support.
India calls for an end to attacks
“The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region remain a cause of deep concern for India,” the ministry said. “We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interests of peace and stability in the region.”
It added that “the targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest.”
New Delhi said it viewed attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers “with grave concern,” arguing that “the targeting of traffic in international waterways is severely undermining global commerce and welfare of people across the world.” It again called for “dialogue and diplomacy to bring an end to the ongoing conflicts.”
On the sidelines of the developments, India and Liberia formed a 25-nation “Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers,” aimed at protecting merchant crews against targeted attacks. Indian officials have issued several similar condemnations this year as strikes on shipping have continued in both theatres.
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